Wedding Story - Audrey and Matthew

So... What's it Like to "Give Away" your Youngest Child?

You are thrilled beyond words when Matthew, your daughter's best friend of five years, asks for her hand on her 22nd birthday. He has loved her for a long time. You know he will love her... FOREVER!

You don't even wait a day before shopping for that perfect dress. You're not surprised when your little bargain shopper finds a beauty on the sale rack of last year's size zeros. You don't seem to mind spending the extra to take in the sides to fit her perfectly and to hem it just right to show off those spunky turquoise heals.

You are more than a little relieved when her dad finds a moment to photograph her bridals the day before heading to Italy for two weeks. You tear up when you help her into all her fluffs and beads and pin that veil into her updo.

Somehow it's hard to believe that this little beauty is actually bone of your bone and flesh of your flesh.

Just days before the wedding day, you take your young sweethearts to the temple grounds to have photographs taken because you just HAVE to display them at the reception. You know this is Matthew's first time seeing his sweetheart in her wedding dress, so you give them a moment alone. Your husband reaches around the corner with just his camera and captures something precious.

The weather is perfect, the light is just right, and it's time for some photo fun!

You think them a bit crazy when they race to a spot two hours away and get there just in time to watch the sun dip below the horizon. There is only time for one or two shots, but the result is amazing!

You walk into the Empire Room at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building the evening before the wedding. It is decked out in its finest. You glance around at all the family and friends and you can't believe they are all here to honor your little one and the man of her dreams.

You hear the music artfully performed by Matthew's mission friend and you hum along softly to love songs old and new.

The video presentation of their childhoods begins... and you cry. You've seen it a million times... 'cause YOU put it together... and you STILL cry. These years have gone by so fast.

You are asked to say a few words, maybe tell a favorite memory and your mind

goes totally blank... This HAS to be easy... you've been with this little girl for the past twenty plus years!... and then it comes to you. "It was many years ago. I was in the car with my sister, Linda, and a few of our children in Twin Falls, Idaho. We passed a field in the middle of a residential area that was filled with acres of dandelions that had gone to seed. The seeds had floated to the neighboring lawns where many more dandelions had sprouted. I thought to myself, I'll bet those neighbors are upset about all those weeds! Just then, I heard Audrey's sweet little voice from the back of the car exclaim, 'Look, Mom, a Field of Wishes!' I saw weeds, Audrey saw wishes."

There is a lesson in that story. You hope she keeps that positive outlook throughout married life.

You don't sleep much. It's all too exciting. You peek into your daughter's room and see her sleeping there one last time. You know she wanted to be up a few minutes ago, so you wake her only to find that her alarm did go off but she hit the SNOOZE button. Who does THAT on their wedding day? You find great solace in the fact that she slept so well.

She's dressed perfectly for her sealing ceremony. She's reaches into her bag to retrieve her wedding ring. "It's not there, " she whispers with tears in her eyes. You're sure you put it in with her wedding license. You say your prayers and retrace your steps all the way back to the car. Everything should be perfect on a wedding day; you've just GOT to find that ring! You open the trunk, it's dark in there and you feel around with no success. One more prayer and you reach in and feel a small box on top of the first aid kit. AHHH! Everything will be perfect after all.

You are in the sealing room of the temple. Audrey and Matthew enter hand in hand and you KNOW this is right. Your heart swells with gratitude as you look into the faces of your good husband, and each and every one of your children. Here they are hand in hand with the loves of their choice. This is how it is suppose to be. No empty chairs. The feeling is indescribable.

Sisters

Brothers

Roommates

Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Grandparents, Friends

His Family

Your Family

It's a perfect day!